


diligence

by Livali



Category: Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Gen, anyway... i am gugu trash now, please have this, why hello ml fandom long time no see
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-02
Updated: 2019-02-02
Packaged: 2019-10-21 01:51:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17633825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Livali/pseuds/Livali
Summary: Diligence is a trait very much engraved into the blood of the Baroque family, Guinevere learns one day, and it is not something gained with ease. One does not gain it without the trials and tribulations that come with it, and requires the courage of a fool who would never think twice walking through fire.





	diligence

**Author's Note:**

> hmmm i wrote this in like 3 hours give or take. enjoy

Diligence is a trait very much engraved into the blood of the Baroque family, Guinevere learns one day, and it is not something gained with ease. One does not gain it without the trials and tribulations that come with it, and requires the courage of a fool who would never think twice walking through fire.

At first it is vexing, _difficult_ even, and maybe she didn’t have to tell this _Paxley_ that this arrangement between their families was foolish because honestly, she could tell he felt the same. She becomes less focused on improving her craft, and more focused on improving their newfound relationship—albeit the very obvious fact that the two of them didn’t agree with their families’ decisions.

She _is_ a Baroque after all, and Baroques do _not_ back down.

Early on in this hastily formed relationship, while finding his overconfidence an inconvenience at times, she catches herself quite astonished with this Paxley’s incredible affinity for magic and swordsmanship. They talk about magic, and eventually it became more about mundane things (‘the weather is nice’, he says and she replies with ‘and so am I’, and they both laugh at her expense). Every now and then, she finds herself thinking about whether or not she could approach and ask him to teach her a thing or two—because beating her brother in his own game was a game she would very much want to play.

He smirks, “well if you’re certain. Then who am I to deny you?”

Later on, she finds herself hovering by the Paxley manor more often than she would like to admit, deliberating furiously whether it would be fitting to call for a little time together or for an afternoon stroll along their gardens (this family is a disaster, but the roses they grow by the garden were nice and she likes looking at them).

Gusion Paxley is a fun man, she learns. They often compete to see who is stronger with their magical areas of expertise, and for once in her life she actually feels _challenged._ He looked stoic most times, and dead tired of his family, even, but his smiles and remarks on their meetings, she can tell, were genuine.

Very much so.

And then she realizes that it sounds too romantic for her liking (she is absolutely _appalled_ ), and just as she was about to turn back and return to her home, she feels a tap on her shoulder and turns around to an enthused smirk. On instinct, she returns it and feels the weight on her shoulders disappear. As they trudge along the stone path that lead to his family’s garden, he begins to rant about overly boisterous uncles, an annoying father, a more annoying mother, the magic council and she listens—because who else would?

One time, she offhandedly asks if he would like to come over and join her family dinner (he answers “sure, who would deny free food?” with faux haughtiness). That night she shows him that the Baroques, while very strict with tradition, are a fun bunch. Her father is a proud but humble swordsman by day and a studious poet by night. Her mother on the other hand is an incredibly talented musician and a magical genius. And yes, she could never forget her brother. He came home less, she didn’t complain (she listens to his spiels about an angel for a savior three times a week), but her most favorite person nonetheless.

And after that, even as she is barraged with endless teasing from both her brother and the rest of her family, she realizes showing this side of her to him, not _Guinevere Baroque_ , simply _Guinevere_ , was all worth it. Gusion is a friend now, after all. And while they got off from a rather subpar beginning for a friendship, she wants him to acknowledge this fact.

They meet up more often, and with the added nosiness of her family not-so-secretly stalking their little meetings, it takes about a week for him to call them out (he says, “I can do better than that!” and envelops her in a one-arm hug). Still though, despite the very intrusive nature of her family lately, she finds herself enjoying his company more these days. And come one time she sits with him by the Baroque manor fountain, she sees him carefully scanning the variety of pastries she brought with her, and asks why. And he looks at her like she had grown a second head.

“You don’t like almonds right? Just making sure they don’t have any.”

She giggles, because _she_ is the one who brought these and his concern was so out-of-place that it was silly. She is surprised everyday that despite his rude and nonchalant exterior, he can become so _genuine_. She supposes that she _is_ his friend now. And she shouldn’t even be surprised at this point—but she is. Because there is so much she does not know and she wants to know _more_ , so she asks him and they talk and _talk_ until dusk approaches.

And she realizes that instead of ‘ _farewell’_ , their meetings now end with ‘ _see you later’._

He convinces her of the wonders of simple sandwiches and coffee by the river, the enticing delights of afternoon naps and tells her of the adrenaline, the _rush_ he feels with his craft and offers her a few lessons. And she in return enlightens him with the addictive melody of pianos and violins, the earthy taste of a cup of Earl Grey, and the _raw_ wonders of pure magic.

And soon, she finds herself living a life where she _cannot_ see him without it.

At first, she finds herself quite happy with Gusion’s decision leaving his family to the dogs; she admires his drive for his ambition and wishes him the best. Though, there’s this weird feeling in the pit of her stomach that she has yet to figure out and she does, and it seems that it is _disappointment_. And so for the first time in a while she understood, she misses him. She misses him, his smiles and his _stupid_ jokes. She misses sparring against him and misses his company.

But she decides that this is for the best, he was his own person and she ought to respect that. So she pushes it aside and decides to go on with her life, too.

And so she does. She excels in improving her magic while her family bemoans the loss of another suitor (or more accurately, destruction, it seems) and decides to stop searching for a while. She notices one time that her brother smiles at her more often than she is used to and so she asks why, and he replies with, “Because you don’t smile too much anymore and everyone here misses that. So I thought that maybe I should smile too, and hope that maybe it becomes infectious.”

And she cannot help but agree. She also misses smiling more, and she knows _exactly_ why it had been less frequent.

“My apologies,” she sighs. “I just… have a lot to sort out right now.”

Lancelot nods. He gives her an apologetic smile, pats her head (she told him to _stop_ doing that) and walks down the hall. But before she leaves, he turns around and his gaze grows sympathetic. “I miss the person you once were when you were with him. You know.”

Silence falls. And her brother's words play like a broken record.

She stands there, dumbfounded, and she realizes that she does too. She did, she missed the person that she was with Gusion, _too_. But she powers on, forces herself, to open her eyes to the truth.

And so, she puts two-and-two together and comes to the realization that she is _so, so screwed._

A week later, she hears a repetitive knocking sound from the windowsill by her bed, and so she opens it and is met with the sight of that same _lovable_ enthused smirk and a quiet, “fancy seeing you here, do you accept visitors slash fugitives?”

And of course, she lets him in.

At first, it is hard to comprehend. Gusion Paxley is alive, in one piece, and _not_ critically injured. He is the same, though less organized and more scruffy (likely due to being on the run from the magic council for a week or more, she reckons). That part is easy to understand, he is skillful and she _knew_ that—but what she does not understand is the bouquet of (poorly-arranged) roses in his hand and that he was giving it to _her_.

“I like you.” He says awkwardly, and she cannot distinguish whose breath it is that hitches. “I really, really like you.”

She stands and _blinks_ , her mouth refusing to function other than repeatedly opening and closing halfway. Her throat feels dry and she feels as if the air in the room was pressing her _down_.

And it appears he takes her silence as an opportunity to continue. “And uh, wow, this isn’t how I imagined this would go, so uh. I’m sorry for being gone a week? I couldn’t find any roses anywhere near the manor, so I had to go a little ways off and—are you _laughing?_ ”

She is, very loudly, and she does not care. “You are a fool.”

“Excuse me?”

“You could be doing ballet while wearing my brother’s scanty outfit and I would _still_ think it’s the most romantic thing in the world. But it _had_ to be roses, did it?”

He sighs, and settles for a timid smile. “Why of course, you like grand gestures. And you like roses. I aim for the best, as you came to know.”

And so, she looks in. Dark eyes. Burning fire. The man she fell in love with.

She realizes that she _was_ happy. She finds herself allowing more detours in her life for moments like _these_ , and she notices that she _did_ smile more often, laugh a bit louder more often and just be _happier_ more than often.

Like the prideful _Baroque_ she is—like the _diligent_ lady she is—she powered through trials and tribulations then came out stronger, and walked through fire like the courageous fool she is.

And so, she takes a leap forward.                                                                                            

“I think… I like you too.”

**Author's Note:**

> if you're wondering, guin and lance's family is not really like that (never mentioned in canon story lol). i just ought to give them more personality through them and so i did, if that clears up any confusions. thank you for reading!


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